Shattered Dynasty

“No, I’m sorry. I don’t.” I nod to the seat in front of me, not really looking, focused on matching up numbers and suits on the screen. “But if you’d like to take a seat, I have to assume you would like to invest with me.”

His hand hits my desk while the door opens again, and this time, security decides to step in. I make a mental note to figure out why Paul was able to get this far. To figure out whether my security officers need to be changed.

“Do you need me to escort him out, sir?”

“Give us a minute,” I say to the guard before continuing back to Paul, finally looking away from the solitaire game. “Now that you have my undivided attention, why don’t you get to the point, seeing as you’ve made it very clear you’re not here to invest?”

“Cut the shit, Aldridge. You know why I’m here.”

“Spit it out. I don’t have all day, I’m busy.”

Busy playing solitaire.

But I don’t say that.

Instead, I pretend that I’m looking over something important.

He rounds the table and moves closer as though his presence will rattle me.

It doesn’t.

“I know what you did,” he seethes out.

“I do a lot of things. You’re going to need to be specific with me.”

Leaning back in my chair, I make myself comfy. He wants to intimidate me. I’ll show him he can’t.

“You tampered with my product!”

“Your product?” I offer a small shake of my head. “Oh, you mean your special sauce. I heard about that ordeal. Sounds like you got screwed. Sorry. Can’t say that I tampered with anything. Plus, I don’t eat your shit. I’m more of a Rao’s guy myself.”

There is no missing how his hands clench.

“I don’t know how you did it, but you fucked with my report.”

I tsk. “Again, that sounds like something highly illegal, and I am simply a man who likes to invest. I wouldn’t know the first thing about tampering with a recipe.”

“I don’t think you were the one to tamper with it.”

Another step closer.

“Isn’t that what you just said?” I tsk again. This one says, you’ve lost it, dude. “Paul—I can call you Paul, right?” A vein on his forehead pulses. I ignore it. “I think you’re confusing me with someone else. I said I wouldn’t know what to do, and you agree.” I turn to the guards hovering by the door and lift a brow. “Right?”

One of them nods, and Paul is straight-up seconds from losing his shit.

“Fine. Maybe it wasn’t you.” And another step. “But Lorenzo tampered with the sauce, and you shorted my stock.”

“Do you have any proof of this supposed plot . . .” I trail off because if he had anything, he wouldn’t be here, and I would already be in jail.

I spare a glance down at the floor.

Dad, you could have had company.

Paul’s fists land on his hips. “Of course, I don’t have any proof.”

“Slandering is beneath you, Paulie.” I shake my head. “I would leave before I have to throw you out.”

“I know it was you.” He points a finger at me. “I know it was Lorenzo. I know it was all you guys and your idiot friends making money off my back.”

“I don’t get involved in this type of shit. I can’t imagine that Lorenzo is your only enemy. However, that being said, you have no proof, so you should keep your mouth shut.”

And he’s finally around the desk, right in front of my face. “I don’t need proof to go after you.”

I lift a casual hand, stopping my guards from spurring into action. “Is that a threat?”

“No, Aldridge, it’s a promise.”

I lean forward, placing my elbows on my arm rests and leveling him with my stare.

“Your time here is up, Paul.”

Lifting my hand, I signal the security guards to take him away. He sees them approaching him right before he spots the solitaire game on my desktop. He lunges for me, but I casually kick my chair to the side and watch as he loses his footing, toppling to the wooden planks.

“Oooh.” I fake a wince. “You scratched my floors. That’s African Blackwood. Expensive stuff to replace. Tell you what,” I say as the guards flank either side of him. “Since I’m sure you can’t afford it at the moment, I can put you on a payment plan.”

Paul lunges for me again. I make sure he’s on camera, clear as day. This is great evidence, should I need it.

The guards stop him just before he reaches me.

Shame.

A bit of blood and a bribe would’ve done the trick, landing him in jail.

The guards grip either side of his arms tight.

He shrugs them off and points at me again. “I will come after you. I will come after all of you. I will find the things you care about, and I will dismantle them the same way you dismantled my company.”